At first glance, the trade show at Union Station in St. Louis last week looked like any other home-and-garden show or perhaps a farm-equipment expo with vendors lining the exhibit hall with displays of irrigation equipment, greenhouse supplies and fertilizer products.

But it wouldn’t have taken a visitor long to realize this was no ordinary trade show. Interspersed among the agriculture and gardening displays were video system and laboratory equipment vendors, armed security companies and makers of all things related to the growing, manufacturing, testing, transporting and selling of medical marijuana.

This was the second annual MoCann Bizcon & Expo, an opportunity for those involved in Missouri’s new medical marijuana industry to network, learn about the latest cannabis products and prepare for the opening of the state’s first medical marijuana facilities later this year.

“This will be a monumental year in the creation of Missouri’s medical marijuana industry,” said Jack Cardetti, president of Tightline Public Affairs in Jefferson City, Missouri, as he took a break from the exhibit hall to speak with the Southeast Missourian. Cardetti serves as spokesman for MoCannTrade, the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. [Read more at Southeast Missourian]